Full Rib Plate (12) Recipe

Prepare ribs

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C) if finishing in oven; alternatively preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Remove silver skin membrane from the bone side if present by sliding a knife under the membrane and pulling it off with a paper towel.

Apply binder and rub

Lightly coat both sides of ribs with yellow mustard to help the dry rub adhere. In a bowl combine kosher salt (2 tbs), black pepper (2 tsp), paprika (2 tbs), brown sugar (3 tbs), garlic powder (1 tbs) and onion powder (1 tbs). Rub mixture evenly over both sides of the ribs.

Low-and-slow cook

If using a smoker: place ribs bone-side down on smoker grates at 225°F (107°C). Smoke for about 4–5 hours until tender (internal temp ~195–203°F or meat pulls back from bone and is tender). If using oven: place ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, tent tightly with foil and bake at 275°F (135°C) for 3–3.5 hours until tender. During the last 60–90 minutes, spritz ribs every 20–30 minutes with apple juice to maintain moisture.

Optional glaze

In the last 10–15 minutes of cooking, brush ribs with barbecue sauce (1 cup) and return to heat to set the glaze. Remove ribs and let rest 10 minutes before slicing between bones into individual portions. For a plate serving two ribs each, cut into 12 portions total.

While ribs cook, make quick pickled onions. In a small saucepan combine white vinegar (1 cup), water (1 cup), sugar (2 tsp) and salt (1 tsp). Bring to a simmer just to dissolve sugar and salt, then remove from heat. Place thinly sliced red onion (1) into a heatproof jar or bowl and pour hot brine over the onions. Add fresh dill sprigs (6) to the jar. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (best 2 hours) before serving. Remove dill sprigs and slice into garnish slices if you prefer ‘dill slices’ or reserve whole sprigs for plating. Keep pickled onions chilled until plating.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease a 9x13 pan or cast-iron skillet with vegetable oil (2 tbs) and place in the oven while it heats to warm the pan.

In a large bowl whisk together cornmeal (2 cups), flour (1 cup), sugar (3 tbs), baking powder (1 tbs) and salt (1 tsp). In a separate bowl whisk eggs (2), buttermilk (1.5 cups) and melted butter (4 tbs) until combined.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Remove hot pan from oven and pour batter into the pan. Bake 18–22 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool slightly, then cut into 12 pieces.

While ribs are finishing, make the collard greens. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven cook diced bacon (4 oz) over medium heat until fat renders and bacon is crisp. Remove most of the crisped bacon to a bowl, leaving fat in the pot.

Add diced onion (1) to the pot and sauté until translucent, ~5 minutes. Add minced garlic (2 tsp) and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add chopped collard greens (2 lbs) in batches, wilting them slightly as you add. Pour in chicken or vegetable broth (2 cups) and bring to a simmer. Stir in apple cider vinegar (2 tbs), salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1 tsp). Cover and simmer gently for 25–35 minutes until greens are tender and flavorful. Stir back in reserved bacon pieces before serving.

For each plate (Full Rib Plate): place 2 rib portions (sliced) on the plate. Add one serving of the chosen side (about 1/6 of the collard greens batch if using the recipe above). Add one piece of cornbread.

Top ribs with a small spoonful (about 1–2 tbsp) of pickled red onions and a dill slice or 1 sprig per plate as garnish. Serve immediately while ribs are warm. Offer extra barbecue sauce on the side if desired.